


Blades of the Fan

by buddhie



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Expanding on Suki's life before and after the show, F/M, Gen, Iroh basically adopted Zuko, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Past Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Perhaps even Suki, Plenty of ancient Japanese and Chinese influences, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, The Kyoshi Warriors are based on the Onna-Bugeisha, You'll know when it isn't compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:08:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27366328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buddhie/pseuds/buddhie
Summary: A collection of writtings pertaining to Suki and her life.Suki Week (Nov. 1-8, 2020)
Relationships: Suki & Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 7





	1. The Becoming of A Captain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day One - Birth

A pale face stared back in the mirror from the mirror that leaned against the wall, one that she didn’t recognize.

This face wasn’t her own, no, but instead a near perfect recreation of their island’s namesake--the towering effigey peeking perfectly from behind a treeline, framed within one of the windows of the fitting house.

Her skin was white now, eyelids sporting red paint that extended toward her temples, eyebrows blackened with paint and drawn delicately, thin lips painted red--what remained of Suki was the pale blue eyes and shortened brown hair, the slightest divot on the left side of her jaw was barely visible beneath the paint that covered her skin, high cheekbones beneath the rounded baby-face, even the nose and hairline similar to that of Water Tribe heredity.

Was that her?

“What do you think?” A voice asked, and she shifted her gaze to see the painted face of the leader standing beside her, her piercing green gaze planted on the younger one. When she didn’t reply, she instead had shifted to kneel beside her, folding the pleated skirt beneath her knees. “It’s overwhelming, right? It’s a high honor to wear such regalia.”

Finding herself smiling, Suki had nodded faintly before she looked to the mirror again. “Captain Xiuying,” she spoke as she shifted to pull on the long green wrap over her shoulders, pulling the left side over the right before she began to hesitantly tie the strings together, “do you really think I’m ready to be inducted as a full warrior..?” Her hands had then rested along her knees, eyes trained on the wooden flooring of the building.

Her eyes had widened, and soon Xiuying found herself shifting to get comfortable, her hands shifting to take the katana and it’s scabbard from her waist to rest it beside her. “Suki, you started your official training at age eight, and you completed your proper _tessenjutsu_ training a year later. I fear that you may become better at using these fans than I am if I allow you to only focus on your mastery.” Tilting her head to the side, the teenager had noticed the rather distraught face placed on the girl, and she shifted to rest a hand along her shoulder.

“As long as I’m captain, you will not have to worry about fighting just yet. You are twelve, not fourteen. It is my job to make sure that you, the rest of the warriors, and the island’s villages are safe--as Avatar Kyoshi would have wanted in such a time like this. With no Avatar, I am to be the ultimate first defense.”

It was times like these where Suki had longed for the Avatar to appear--even now, there was widespread talk that perhaps the cycle had ended after Roku’s death. With no Air Nomads, the cycle was incomplete, broken. It showed what real chaos looked like; famine, war, disease, crimes against so many. So many flooded to the shrine dedicated to Kyoshi within the Golden Forest, setting out offerings of food and flora and even golden coins, asking for signs of hope after each fortnight brought news that more territory had been carved away from the mainlands, or when another attack on the Southern Tribe had been carried out.

To the community, it was growing harder to believe that there were any good Fire Nation citizens as Kyoshi had once elaborated--it was thought that any good had been done away with, every single last ounce.

She didn’t want to believe in there being the absence of good within that nation, especially after spending hours reading up on Kyoshi’s ties with them, or Roku’s own existence forming within the Fire Nation grounds.

What had destroyed such promises?

“I just want you to get used to the armor first, that’s all. We’ll practice with our war fans,” the captain hummed before shiftnig to stand along her knees, helping the younger warrior slip into her armour before she settled her hair, tying a dark green headband with golden-threaded tassels around her forehead, “and that’s it for today, okay? You’ll understand why.”

Raising her eyes to look in the mirror, Suki quickly nodded before she shifted to look back at Xiuying once more, offering a faint smile. “Mhm," she hummed in response before she returned her gaze back down, tying a green cloth over the chestplate at her waist.

She remembered, even at such a young age, that she thought she was always fit for the Warriors of Kyoshi. Now, the prospect of was had seemed closer than ever before--a moderate famine was settling in once again, and an ever encroaching war on home land--made her question if she was cut out or devoted to it as she had originally thought.

There was never a warrior that made it past the age of sixteen.

As direct result of the economic depression and famine caused by the war, children were given up as means to make sure they’d receive meals while under the care of the villages’ plentiful orphanages. After all, that was how Suki ended up in her position; orphaned in hopes of a better life. It was a system that was useful, yet deadly.

Parentless daughters often grew to become Kyoshi Warriors, teenager martyrs that had seemed to become Kyoshi-fodder to the Fire Nation colony-takeover.

_‘Having been intercepted by a small regiment of firebenders from the Fire Navy while moving to attempt to liberate the earthen mining village near the Mo Ce Sea shoreline, our sect had a great deal of combatants harmed._

_‘Whilst most of which are dealing with burns, several have passed on as they have succumbed to their injuries, total fatalities including Captain Xiuying, aged sixteen years._

_‘As it is accustomed, by her personal selection, leadership is to be passed on to and filled by Suki, aged fourteen years, effective upon immediate notification. Leading headdress and other items will be given, as decided by late Captain Xiuying before her passing._

_‘Bodies, as well as the remaining sect, will be returning to Kyoshi Island by the time this scroll has been sent._

_‘Sincerest regards._

_\--K.W. Liqin’_

“Suki..?” A voice had asked, to which the newly-appointed Captain had turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder, rolling the scroll up before she placed it down along the table. “I have the inherited items.” She said quietly, quickly bringing the cloth-wrapped items over to rest beside the scroll before she gently moved the cloth away.

Beneath laid the Captain’s golden headdress, as well as the late Xiuying’s katana and matching scabbard, muddled and discolored by only what one could imagine was multitude of substances.

Nodding slowly, Suki glanced to the dark-haired warrior before she sighed and brought a hand to her face, pushing the hair back behind an ear. “Thank you, Tokosa…” she murmured before she leaned against forward after a moment. “How are the… survivors?”

“Most are in stable condition as of now, just being treated for the boils on their skin, mostly.”

“Mmh,” she grunted slightly in response before she raised her head, eyes caught on the mirror reflection of her painted face; her eyebrows painted with an upward tilt toward her temples, the red of her eyelids painted just barely beneath the underside, her face a far more even coat of white than she had ever gotten--she had almost recognized herself.

The feeling of such despair bringing a secondary urge of a dire need of change.

Turning her head toward Tokosa, Suki had gently ran her gloved fingers along the golden headpiece, gently lifting it as she looked down to it. “There needs to be changes, so not as many young people are dying every time we try to make a change on the mainlands… do you think that is possible?”

Quirking her brow up slightly, the other had then nodded toward the new superior. “Yes, I believe that kind of change is necessary and entirely possible, but… what exactly were you thinking?”

“We need to stay put, just for a while and take our time training--to keep an ear out for what happens in the mainlands and learn from the mistakes made there.” Taking in a breath, Suki shut her eyes before she raised the garb over head, slowly sliding it on to rest along her forehead. Letting out the breath slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself in the mirror once again.

Turning to glance to Tokosa, she offered a faint smile.

“We lost sight of what it meant to be a Warrior of Kyoshi during the mayhem of these last two years… I suggest we relearn everything, from the ground up.”


	2. The Bloom of Two Lilies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Two - Growth

The Fire Nation had changed in several different ways since the end of the war, especially once Zuko had been appointed.

It was a series of… rather specific events.

At first, Suki had gone back to Kyoshi Island--that didn’t last long, having been called back by Mai to help combat a series of assassination attempts against the new ruler. During the time, Zuko had made an alliance with both the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom--a move that had appeared to anger small groups of Ozai-loyalists to the brim, as well as small pockets of the Earth Kingdom. Secondly, there was the infamous falling out between both Zuko and Mai known all too well around the walls of the palace. 

For several days, both Suki and Ty Lee had to perform their duties all while working to comfort either party.

That was just the tip of several issues, however several good bouts had come into view; King Kuei had accepted multiple deals that involved trading and commerce upon reclaiming his throne properly, and the village leaders of Kyoshi Island had established a proper connection to the Fire Palace.

It would be a lie to say that Suki hadn’t experienced change--her relationship had drastically changed with Sokka, especially after she had departed to work within the palace. Both, unlike the other couple, had managed to realize that their relationship was formed to test the trials of war, but hadn't planned to outlast that. It wasn’t bitter or sad, if anything it helped them come closer in several other ways--ways that neither Zuko or Mai hadn’t been able to experience. 

Another change was just how well Kyoshi Island was doing after the war. Her own main village, along with the rest, had received several improvements--the fire from two years prior actually helped the changes be initiated. Even the Kyoshi Dojo had been refurbished with new paneling and roofing. It shocked her at first, but the recognition that two years had passed was what deceived her.

It felt like time had flown away from the captain. The thought that she had been the oldest Kyoshi Warrior in generations since the original founding hadn’t even occurred to her until Ty Lee had pointed it out during a brief questioning of the history of the protective sect.

One thing that couldn’t be ignored was the continuing growth of her and Zuko’s relationship.

It was not unknown that the two had known each other decently well before she was brought to work for the Firelord. She had been around for nearly everything he did; meetings, hearings, diplomatic visits, and even a few minor breaks out he’d been informed that he could take--all except for the breakup, that was his own private moment. For a while, there had been rumor that she was the original cause of the couple’s split. It took the captain, as well as the rest of the transplanted Kyoshi Warriors, weeks to adjust to the rumor mills within the Palace--it had them thinking if there had been something similar in the Earth Palace of Ba Sing Se.

It was a large difference compared to their reclusive island, then again, they also acted as a separate entity rather than a part of the Earth Kingdom.  
  


Standing beside Zuko along one of the inner balconies that showcased the inner Palace gardens, she stared down at one of the small lakes pooled beneath a tree that filtered from a small river within the area. A family of Turtleducks swam around in circles within it, causing the Kyoshi Captain to smile faintly, placing her gloved hands along the ornate red railing.

There had been another uptic in attempts on Zuko’s life, including Suki’s, as of recently. Both were beginning to suspect that there may have been a coup forming in order to get Ozai back to the throne by the Royal Firebenders and several Generals, though neither really wanted to admit it--it was currently just suspicion. It was a suspicion that hit the Firelord rather hard--he was convinced that his own people hadn’t liked him, and the situation was playing into the idea.

It hurt Suki to see him like this.

“There are plenty of people within the Fire Nation who praise you highly,” she began quietly, shutting her eyes, “are you aware of that?” Met with shocked silence, Zuko quickly glancing over toward her with a look that asked how she managed to read what was on his mind. 

She took that as a no. 

Looking back over her shoulder, she had then shifted to encroach a few steps closer, her geta clanking against the marbled flooring as she did. “It may not seem like it but there are many within the Capital who approve of you, and more outside of it--even within the other nations.”

“...How do you know those things?” He had asked quietly, eyes trained out on the falling petals of the blooming trees. It was the end of their bloom. “I don’t see it--how do you?”

“It may be different because I’m just an observer.” Suki murmured quietly as several staff had passed by the entryway of the balcony. “I actively see the changes happening because I’m not from this nation. I was raised and grew during a time of suffering in the Earth Kingdom--a lot of my people are now happy and prospering due to the deals you’ve made with King Kuei as well as your aid, and Katara has noted a general positive outlook from the Tribes.”

The two stood in silence for a moment, focused on the serene nature before them, the breeze jostling their hair slightly.

“You really think that, Suki?”

“No. I _know_ it.”

The silence had returned though it wasn’t for long, Suki feeling the Firelord’s eyes fall to her painted face. Arching a black eyebrow, her thin lips perked up slightly at the corners. “What?” She asked with an amused tone, her sapphire eyes catching his amber as he gave a noncommittal shrug.

Zuko debated his words for a moment before he faced the green-clad woman. “Thank you. You make this job so much easier, with your… level-headed advice.”

“As both your guard and friend, it’s my job to be pragmatic for you.” She responded with a bit of a nod before she eventually let another smile float across her lips. “You’re welcome--and while I know it may be a bit unprincipled as your subordinate, I am always open for giving advice or a general conversation.”

Placing her gloved hands along the railing once again, she looked over the edge before raising her head to look to the mid-day sky, shutting her eyes as the wind had picked up once more. “Sometimes I feel the need to remind you that I’m not untouchable. I am still your friend under all this armor and paint.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” 

Taking in a breath, the other had slowly let it out upon the hand that rested over her own. Glancing over to him, she was rather shocked to not find any hint of red across his face. A premeditated move, she assumed. In return, the only thing that didn’t give away her own red face was the thick coats of paint over her skin--one of several benefits of the Kyoshi Warrior privacy routine.

Always jokingly teased by the other few warriors that joined her in the Palace, they affectionately coined their captain as the _‘Favorite of The Firelord’_ , purely due to the pinch more of attention she received from being so close. Of course, it was all in fun--to see what had made her embarrassed--but the nickname had come up within her mind repeatedly at the moment.

_Was it possible something like that was true?_

Pursing her lips in thought, Suki sighed before she adjusted her hand enough to offer a gentle squeeze to his own before she eventually pulled away and looked at the other.

“Come on, supper is nearing, and you’ve got several more scrolls to review before nightfall.” She murmured as she cleared her throat, waiting behind as Zuko had pulled away from the railing and walked indoors.

They both certainly had come far.


End file.
